Rewinding Heart
by grandcell2
Summary: Tohru Mutou wakes up before the shiki came to Sotoba, after a stake was rammed through his heart. Why did he have such a detailed dream and why could he remember it so clearly? Finally, why does he have such a horrible sense of dejavu? As we go down this unholy rabbit hole the themes in this story will progressively get darker and darker. Enjoy
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note:**

 **Hello, everyone! This will be my second time trying to write a story here on FanFiction. I'm here to develop writing skills in a nurturing and caring environ-**

 **Pft, yeah right this is the fucking internet. I'm here because I thought this would be a good idea and I'm sick of having to wade through an ocean of yaoi to get to something I want to read in the shikiverse.**

 **This idea is inspired by Groundhog Day, The Edge of Tomorrow, Steins; Gate and Couer Al'Aran's Not This Time Fate in the RWBY fanfic archive. What if Tohru went back in time he met the true death... Watch as he struggles to save his home and the people he loves.**

 **I hope you enjoy it!**

 **P.S. I'm shit and I know it that's why I want to improve. If I make a mistake, call me out on that shit. If you think to yourself, "Man that's stupid, he should do this!" Go for it, the miracle of a time loop is that I can slot ideas into a future loop if I like it.**

* * *

 **6th of November, 1994**

"Thank you, Tohru." She whispered, as Ritsuko rested her head on his shoulder. The violent shouting and sounds of their walls being torn down around them by the vengeful horde of Sotoba grew ever closer as Tohru wrapped his arms gently around the woman he loved.

"You're welcome, Ritsuko." He whispered into her ear, brushing a hand through her perfect turquoise hair, idly twirling it in his index finger and thumb. It would be a lie to say it was his one true regret, for there were many for him. However, he truly wished he could have mustered the courage to swallow his fear and declare his love for this woman.

A dark room with rusting bars, walls dank and overgrown with mould… It seemed like just a good a place as any at this point, honestly… Shifting slightly so that he could look into her alluring crimson orbs in a sea of black, he began to speak.

"Ritsuk-"

With a thunderous crash the rotten sliding door down the corridor met the ground and men bearing red oni masks flooded their cell, dragging he and his beloved apart and into the cold night air outside.

"TOHRU!"

His last memory was of an angel screaming his name, amber spreading across the sky as a fir stake was rammed into his ribcage. The pain lasted only a second before amber faded into black.

…

…

…

Before he opened his eyes once more.

* * *

 **11th of August, 1994**

It was bright. It was so impossibly bright… His head felt like it was trying to split itself open, and his lungs were on fire before with a mighty gasp Tohru swallowed a precious mouthful of fresh air. The burning in his lungs promptly disappeared along with his headache, his vision clearing.

But wait… He didn't need air, didn't he?

"It was a pleasure meeting you, young man." Rasped an unfamiliar voice, something shaking his hand. Looking down and meeting the ever-staring eyes of Shinmei Muroi, Tohru blushed lightly.

"Oh, uh… Yes, a pleasure Head Monk, Sir." He responded, confusion ripping through his mind.

His father was beside him, so were his siblings and mother. When had he come here, though? The last he remembered he was staring into the burning sky of Sotoba with Rits-

"Dad, where is Ritsuko!" Was she alive, where was she, why is he here?

With a startled jump his father turned to face him, "Ritsuko? She should be at the clinic at the moment, what's wrong Tohru?" He questioned with his brows furrowed, "You've been acting strangely for the last minute or so, is everything okay?"

She was at the clinic? Had Doctor Ozaki captured her? But why would he keep her alive and let him escape?

With a deep sigh, Tohru ran his hands through his hair viciously. Nothing made sense! Why was he at the temple? Why was his family here? Why-

The grandfather clock in the corridor tolled lightly.

Birds chirped happily in the summer air outside.

His family shuffled out of the head monk's room.

...Why was he alive?

No, he had a stake rammed through his heart. He remembered it so clearly…

Sotoba burned, flames consuming everything in their path. The village had become a warzone and his kind had definitely lost. The dead were stacked high and the piles kept rising. Ozaki had lead the people into a frenzy and unleashed them on his sleeping kin; burning, stabbing, staking, decapitating and slaughtering them all…

Including Ritsuko and himself.

And yet, here he was. Holding two fingers wrist, Tohru counted his pulse.

 _Inhale._

 _Thump, thump._

 _Thump, thump._

 _Thump, thump._

 _Exhale._

He was alive. Ritsko was alive and well, working for a mad man at the clinic.

How?

Why?

Following his family through the corridors of the temple, Tohru contemplated these questions before pausing at the doorway outside.

Would he burn if he stepped into the sunlight?

With a deep inhale and a steeled resolve, Tohru stepped into the sun. How long had it been since he had felt the warmth of the golden rays trickle across his face? With a rapturous sigh, Tohru basked in God's light once more.

"Are you sure you're fine, Tohru? I've never seen a man look so happy to be outside before." His father said, worry clear in his eyes.

"Heh," Tohru looked over to the man with a wide grin, "I've never been better, Dad."

* * *

He had to know she was safe with his own eyes. As they left the temple, Tohru parted with his family and sprinted towards the Ozaki clinic. His messy blonde hair blew about as he crossed a bridge and passed a few elderly Sotobans perched upon a bench, basking in the summer sunlight.

"I wonder what he is in such a mad hurry about?"

"To be a young man, again."

"I bet he's off to see Ritsuko, that boy doesn't have a subtle bone in his body."

"Ah, young love. Sweet to taste, but it never lasts for long."

With a wide grin, he kept running past the local rumour mill. The hills were still green, the sky was blue and the people were content spreading stories about nothing. Sotoba wasn't a hell on Earth. It was a simple village. It was his village and he wouldn't want it any other way.

On the final street to the clinic he noticed Natsuno in the middle of his morning ritual of ignoring Megumi. The same sour look he always wore firmly upon his face, his posture set in his standard anti-Megumi defence stance, facing the complete opposite direction of her. The familiar scene stung his eyes, tears threatening to burst forth.

Natsuno was alive! He hadn't murdered his best friend to save his family, he hadn't sold his soul to the devil. Hell, he was even glad to see Megumi, although by the look on her face upon seeing him he knew the feeling wasn't mutual.

"Natsuno! You have no idea how good it is to see you!" He hollered as he tackle hugged his dearest friend, ruffling his violet hair vigorously with a laugh.

With a scowl and a hand firmly placed on Tohru's face, Natsuno wrenched his friend off of him. "How many times do I need to tell you to stop calling me by my first name!"

"But Natsuno, I missed you so much!"

"What did I just say!" Natsuno snapped along with one of his standard karate chops to the top of Tohru's head. God, how he missed those. Maybe he was developing masochistic tendencies.

Turning to Megumi, who looked like she wanted nothing more than to throw him in front of the approaching bus, Tohru raised a hand and waved. "Heya, Megumi. How are you doing?"

Clicking her tongue, flicking her hair and pivoting on one foot she proceeded to embark on the school bus just as it opened it's doors. Huh, she was still as bitchy as ever. At least his dream got that right…

Right, Ritsuko! He got so distracted by such a familiar scene that he had forgotten all about her. He had to guarantee her safety, even if everything looks normal he just had to make sure.

"Right, see you later Natsuno. I'll see you at school." With a wave he began running for the clinic once more, ignoring his friend's calls for him to wait. Once more gravel crunched under his feet as he ran down the driveway to the clinics glass front door. Skipping the three wooden steps in his way he skidded to a stop in front of the transparent barrier between him and his goal.

Eyes set on Ritsuko who was staring at him wide-eyed behind the clinics reception desk, he gave the door handle a powerful pull. It was roughly around the same time that flesh met glass with enough force to rattle his brain that he remembered, the clinic door was a sliding door… The last thing Tohru saw before the world faded to black was Ritsuko running towards him, his angel calling for the one man he still felt residual fear from his dream.

Doctor Toshio Ozaki.

* * *

The room was too bright, the walls were the purest white and it smelled of disinfectant. Whilst Tohru understood the necessity of a sterile medical environment, he would freely admit made him uncomfortable. Granted, not as uncomfortable and a potential mass murderer pointing a really bright flashlight into his eyes whilst he simultaneously looked like he was sucking on a lemon trying not to laugh his ass off.

He knew he hated this man, but did he really need to add reasons to his list of reasons why?

"So you're saying you saw him knock himself out trying to pull open a sliding door, and you got a doors eye view of it?" He questioned the woman beside him.

"Yes, Doctor. It was quite the unfortunate accident." Ritsuko responded, face completely unreadable as she fiddled with a clipboard.

"Yeah, very unfortunate is that right Mr Mutou?" Ozaki asked, looking Tohru in eye with eyes full of mirth. Oh how he wished he could slap that stupid look off his face.

"Yeah, haha, how silly of me." Scratching the back of his head Tohr petulantly thought that he could be forgiven for forgetting how doors work in his situation, his daydreams were going to give him a heart attack.

"Okay, Tohru. Can you tell me your full name?"

"Yes, Sire. My name is Tohru Mutou, I am eighteen years old."

"Good, good. Now, where do you live?"

"56, Onigafugi Road, Sir."

"Well Done, now one more question. What is the date today?" The Doctor asked as he started to pack away his inspection flashlight.

Uh, what was the date again?

"I'm sorry, Doc. I can't remember." He answered honestly with a nervous smile, scratching the back of his head.

Holding back another bout of laughter but failing to hold back a small snort, "snrk, it looks l-like you are suffering a mild, snrk, concussion Mr Mutou." He paused to wipe a tear of mirth from his eye, "You'll be fine in an hour. The date today is the 11th of August, 1994."

* * *

With a suffering sigh, Natsuno let a hand fall to his forehead, "Yeah, I can see you doing something like that."

Oh yeah, he could see it too. Repeating over and over in his head. His face making sweet love to a glass pane in front of the beautiful rose of Sotoba… How could he look her in the eye now!

"Oi, what are you doing!" His best friend asked as the blonde began to beat his head against his desk repeatedly. "I'm sure it will be fine, Tohru." He attempted to comfort, before noticing how uncertain he sounded with a wince.

The door slammed open as an underclassman stormed in with a newspaper in hand.

"Well, I tried to make you feel better. Just don't give yourself a concussion, man." The purple haired teen said with a huff before turning his attention to the front of the room where a starfish haired kid was ranting excitedly Megumi and her friend Kaori Tanaka, much to the former's chagrin.

"Akira, go back to your classroom, school is about to start" The Tanaka girl pleaded to what Tohru assumed was her brother, if the starfish theme was to believed.

"But Sis! Look here, it says three people died in Yamairi! Isn't that cool!" The boy shouted as everyone went silent.

Cool… Yeah, about as cool as the chill that reverberated down Tohru's spine. His teeth ground so hard he could hear it in the back of his head, sweat plastering his shirt to his back.

 _Thump, thump._

 _Thump, thump._

 _Thump, thump._

 _Thump, thump._

His heart felt like it would beat out of his chest, his breathing coming out in desperate gasps.

It was happening again!

THEY WERE HERE AGAIN!

No…

No…

No…

No… No… No… No… No, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

…

…

…

…

No, he wouldn't let it happen again. He was given a chance to make things right!

He wasn't going to waste it...

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading my trash, and I hope to see you again in the future.**

 **Peace**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's notes:**

 **Hey guys, welcome back for another chapter of Rewinding Heart. I'm having a tonne of fun trying to get into the mindset of a man coming up with ideas to save Sotoba, and then picking the plan to pieces. It's an interesting little exercise and if I miss an obvious solution I can just go, "Hey, maybe he didn't think of that." Perfect trump card.**

 **Septorex101: Congratulations, you are my first fan! Thank you so much for your review Mate, you have motivated me to continue this story (I'm terrible at staying motivated, keep nagging me!) I have already thought of your proposed arc, maybe, maybe not :)**

 **Alright guys, enough of that, enjoy the show!**

* * *

 **11th of August, 1994**

It was one thing to resolve yourself to save a village, but another story entirely when it came to actually doing it. How was he going to do it?

Did he go to Doctor Ozaki and trust him to deal with the plague before it even began? No, that wouldn't work. The Doctor only began to really realise what was happening after he-

… After he murdered Natsuno.

The pen he was holding to a notepad where he was attempting to recollect his memories dropped against the page as he reached up to grip his head on either side. It was a miracle that he could return to the past to try and fix all of his mistakes and maybe even save all those he cared for, but he could never forget the feeling of biting into his friend. The feeling of his teeth slowly sinking into Natsuno's neck, his hot blood flooding into his mouth. The slowing of the purple haired teen's heartbeat each time he did it, his breath hitching when his fangs met skin. The dying boy smiling up at him with so much understanding, as he cried cold tears that soaked into his friend's final resting place. He would bear that guilt for as long as he lived, a sin that would be forever irredeemable.

A sharp knock on his bedroom door caused him to snap his head in that direction with a start, "Yes?"

The door opened to reveal his father, Takeshi Mutou, standing in the doorway with a grim expression. "Shimizu's daughter has gone missing and the people are going to comb through the forest for her, I'm going to help them look. Could you help your mother and sister with dinner?" He asked as he checked the batteries in his flashlight before departing down the hallway.

Megumi had gone missing this early? Scrubbing a hand through his hand in frustration, Tohru berated himself internally. Megumi was going to die all because he could remember the date of her death! He may not have gotten along with her, hell, it's safe to say that he hated her for what she did to him and Natsuno but she hadn't committed those sins yet. She was innocent in this life, and because of him she would die and become a monster once more.

She will kill him, again. He will kill Natsuno, again…

 _No…_

He could still save her, if he could just keep Chizuru Kirishiki away from Megumi, he could stop the chain of death from beginning. But how could he hope to stop her? All the jizo statues have already been desecrated and he sure as hell can't sculpt one himself. Would her family notice a crucifix above her window? No, that's not the problem. Kirishiki would just enter through another entrance, and he couldn't possibly cover all of them unnoticed.

What if he put a crucifix on her person? He could probably get in as her classmate dropping off homework, wait… No, that wouldn't work. Shimizu was close with the Tanaka girl at school, so she'd be the one to visit her with any missed schoolwork. Could he act as a concerned admirer? Yeah nah, she isn't worth butchering his pride over… Oh great, there's the guilt again…

Would he be able to sneak into her house whilst her family was at work? Her window would be unlocked thanks to the shiki's compulsion, it would be so easy to climb in. He'd know, he had to do it for a living for a few months in his last life. The crucifix would be easy enough to make, even the ramshackle one that Natsuno used on him had him reeling in terror. He could make one, but would a shiki as old as Chizuru be effected to the same extent as the newborn he had been? There was no way of knowing without trying, and needless to say he was not willing to experiment with people's lives like a certain madman.

That left one option, really…

 _He had to kill Chizuru Kirishiki…_

Shiki had heightened senses to a degree but you could still sneak up on them as long as they weren't jinrou. If he could manage to knock her out from behind while she was distracted by Megumi, he could hammer a stake into her heart and be done with it… But, could he really do it though? He finally had a life that didn't require blood to be shed, but was that really the case. If he chose to spare Chizuru, Megumi would die and rise up. Released of the consequences of retribution, she would kill him in spite of his friendship with Natsuno. His best friend would investigate his death and grow suspicious of Megumi until he garnered the attention of Sunako. And finally, Tatsumi would offer him that horrible choice once more.

Who was more important to him? His family or Natsuno?

Such a choice could only have one favourable selection… Don't choose at all. Find another path and if that doesn't work, find another and another and another after that. Tohru would be Earth's worst coward if he didn't walk the path set before him. Chizuru Kirishiki will die…

"Hey Dad, wait up!" He called to his father, running down the carpeted stairs of his family home as he pulled a flashlight from the cupboard beside the exit before catching up to his father down the road. "Megumi Shimizu is a classmate, I'll help with the search."

* * *

 **12th of August, 1994**

The sun had long ago set, giving way to the rising moon as it too reached it's peak and began to fall once more. Stepping under a low hanging branch, Tohru made his way through the pitch black forest with only a single ray of light to guide his way. Anywhere outside of this cone of safety was dark as the abyss, housing monsters that would latch onto him and sink their fangs into his neck. His heart beat like a drum against his ribcage until it ached, one of the downsides to life he mused in the back of his mind. The rest of it was numbed by fear of the dark, funny how he was never scared of the dark but he could be forgiven his new weakness. No, he couldn't. He would need to conquer this small fear if he was to save Megumi, he would need to slay a being of the night in order to deliver Sotoba into the light. With another rush of resolve steeling his nerves, he pushed onwards into the night in search of the pink haired horror.

For hours they had searched and found no signs of the flashy girl. For hours he had been battling his newfound phobia of the darkness for the crabby girl. For hours he had convinced himself that the hateful demon that killed him was worth the effort. However, he knew they would find her eventually. He knew that the search party had found her on the first night, he just hoped to be the one that found her first so that he could just so happen to notice some unusual insect bites on her body. Surely the villagers would be curious as to what bug would create such large bites.

His thoughts were interrupted as he rounded at particularly large fir, its rough bark offering him comfort as he traced a hand along it. The teen had to stop himself from screaming at the sight beyond the mighty tree. Three pairs of glowing red eyes floated in the darkness, accompanied by the deep rumbling of a hound growling at its prey. His flashlight passed over their forms causing them rear back onto their haunches, still snarling as they prepared themselves to lunge at him and tear him limb from limb. Their black fur was filthy and matted with dried blood, drool spilling from their snapping maws with unnatural volume, falling to the ground in long wet globs. Their shining red eyes staring into his own light brown, staring straight into his soul laying his sins bare before him. With a bizarre unity the pack slid their front paws forward in the mud slightly, coiling their bodies into themselves ready to spring onto him the second he moved a muscle.

"I FOUND HER!" The liquor store owner's son bellowed nearby, echoed by voices through the forest. The hellhounds ears perked up at that as they began to slink back into the darkness, the rumbling in their chests the only indicator that they were still in the area until that too faded into the night.

No birds chirped in the dead of night.

There was no breeze to cut through the trees.

Only the cold silence and the bellowing and cries of men in the distance.

Tohru collapsed to his knees in relief, the adrenaline flooding his veins disappearing just as quickly as it had appeared, leaving him exhausted on the ground panting for breath. He had seen what those beasts could do to a human many times in his nights as a shiki. They would pursue, hobble and tear apart any escapees from the Yamairi cabins. The mess that they left behind… Gods, it made him feel nauseous just to think about. Seishirou and Tatsumi's twisted pets that prevented all attempts to escape through the forest in the event the shiki cordoned off the roads.

Using the tree as a handhold, Tohru pulled himself up with a grunt of effort before dragging his feet over the nearby ridge where Atsushi's voice came from. There he saw her, cradled in the giant's arms limply. Moonlight danced off her pale skin in a way that he would have describe as beautiful if it were Ritsuko in her position. Her gothic yellow dress clung to her shapely body courtesy of the sweat dripping off her. His eyes followed the curve of her shoulder down to just above her elbow, where a single pair of insect bites like two rubies in a sea of pearls...

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **What do you guys think on Tohru's thought processes. I'm trying to keep up his gentle soul but he has seen some shit. As we saw as the anime/manga progressed, Tohru's personality got darker and darker. Do you think he could take a life so early in his relife, or would it take even more trauma before he resolved to violence?**

 **Either way, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'll be working on this project most week days, but not on weekends unless I'm really fucking bored.**

 **Cheers guys, have a good one.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note:**

 **Hey guys, I'm back.**

 **So I may have left this story high and drew for six months in pursuit of *cough*porn and videogames*cough* other life goals but I'd like to think I will be more regular with my updates. This likely never would've been updated at all if I didn't notice an email the other day from fanfiction saying that I had a new review, favourite story and favourite author alert. I was honestly suprised that anyone enjoyed this but hey, give the people what they want.**

 **I have my girlfriend nagging me to release at least one chapter a fortnight, let's see if that actually works for my lazy ass.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 **12th of August, 1994**

Sleep did not come easily to him that night. Images of red eyes floating in the darkness and the sky aflame with the horrible chanting of demons echoed through the night haunted him, robbing him of any rest. However, that was a small price to pay for a second chance. Rising from his warm bed, Tohru prepared for a full day, for he had much to do.

Entering the kitchen he noticed his mother groggily sipping at a mug of coffee.

"Hrrrmmmmmm?" she moaned lazily, eyes blinking slowly.

Gazing up to the clock he realised how early it was, nearly six o'clock in the morning. He must have been in bed for all of two hours… At least as a shiki he didn't need to worry about fatigue, but it was just another reminder he was human.

Cheered by this thought he responded with a laugh, "thought I'd get some exercise in the morning, I can't let Natsuno score better than me in phys ed."

"Rrrmmmmmmm," was the only reply he got followed by a loud sip.

Forgetting about the horrible morning person his mother was, Tohru began working on his breakfast and thought of his coming mission.

 _Kill Chizuru Kirishiki_

How the hell did he go about that?

With a frown he spread butter on his toast.

I can't possibly take her on at the window, one bite and it's over. She may not be a jinrou but shiki are nothing to sniff at…

Vegemite followed the butter on his toast.

A cross would work to even the playing field but what if it worked too well? What if she ran off and told the other Kirishiki's at Kanemasa? Quite simply, he would be fucked. He and his whole family to preserve the secret, none would be spared and none would be allowed into the life of the dead for fear of betrayal.

His toast was promptly served to his mother as he left the house, eyes narrowed in frustration.

* * *

School was suffered through with impatience, his foot tapping with no rhythm in a continuous loop with nothing to show. Such was the state of his mind as well, bouncing different ideas and shooting them down as impossible.

He couldn't afford to screw this up. He had no idea if what he saw that day in the temple was a premonition sent by God, or his soul leaping from one reality to another. He had no idea if the phenomenon was a one time saving grace offered by a merciful God taking pity upon him or if it was a super power borne from a hiccup in his genetic code. As such, he couldn't afford to squander this chance unduly and irresponsibly.

But on the other hand, if he was being truly responsible he would take his family and flee from Sotoba for good. That would be making true use of his one chance at relife, a guaranteed chance of surviving this nightmare.

His foot stopped tapping as he steepled his hands in front of him.

No.

No, he couldn't turn his back on the village. Not on Natsuno and Masao. Not even on Megumi, bitch-demon that she was.

Not on Ritsuko. Never could he abandon Ritsuko knowing that she would be tortured by herself and murdered by the villagers she refused to harm. He could never abandon the beautiful woman who had taught him to drive, who had nursed him to health, who he gave his heart to and ultimately, who he died with.

He couldn't leave any of the people of Sotoba behind, he had the responsibility to try and save them with the knowledge he held. But to do that, he would have to truly put in everything he had to murder another being to save so many others.

* * *

Night came far too quickly. The sun gave way to the moon and the chirping of crickets gave way to the hooting of owls. The sound of tractors and laughter gave way to the howling of wind cutting through leaves and warmth gave way to cold.

All alone in the dark sat Tohru, clutching a makeshift cross dangling from his neck as the wind cut through him like a knife through butter. He was vaguely aware that he was shivering, although he wasn't sure if that was from the cold or fear. The shadows around him seemed to crawling ever closer and red eyes pranced about him before he forced himself to blink and find they were not there. Again, he was not sure if that terrified him or relieved him.

From his perch in the bush overlooking Megumi's bedroom window, Tohru wondered if he could sneak away and hide in his room. He could simply walk away and he would be safe. He could be safe and warm in his house, surrounded by family and not potentially by creatures of the night. He could be sleeping easily under his rug instead of fighting against the shivers that robbed him of breath. He could simply cower and leave in the morning.

These thoughts repeated over and over when a movement in the corner of his eye halted his breath, his shivering and his mind. Something danced from the shadows into the moonlight, silhouetting it against the white painted walls of the Shimizu household. Long legs wrapped in crimson ribbons lead up to a tight cocktail dress of the same colour that was cut far too low for a modest woman. A slender, pale neck lead to blood red lips twisted into an alluring smile with flashes of ivory. And finally, floating in the middle of the abyss were two orbs of red peering through the window.

Tohru's hands clenched on to the hammer he had lifted from his garage cupboard, causing the handle to creak. She was here, Chizuru was here to drain her victim. Sweat dripped down his brow and he watched the demon knock daintily on the window.

Barely a few moments later Megumi greeted her and allowed her in, the two disappearing from sight.

Tohru's breath came back to him then, as did the rest of his functions. He could feel his heart hammering inside of him so loud he could hear it. He sucked air in with shallow breaths and his head hurt from the cold. Now was the moment. He could get up and leave, pretend this was all a dream and escape in the morning. He could forget that demons really existed and he could bleach the name Kirishiki from his mind forever.

He stood up and began walking as quietly as possible, his feet carrying him one slow step at a time. His breathing calmed as he made his decision and the cold didn't seem to affect him as it had before. The dark, whilst impenetrable did not seem so threatening anymore as he made his journey away from his hiding place.

In the back of his mind he could hear himself asking what the hell he was doing as he peered through the window to Megumi's room. It was dark, extremely so.

Pink hair drew his attention, illuminated by the moon followed by bleary cherry red eyes staring back at him. The small girl with a demon hunched over her was crying, staring at him with pleading eyes. He lifted in his finger in front his mouth with a shushing motion before lifting a foot into the window seal.

Gripping the window frame he swung his foot into the dark.

 _Crunch_

With a deafening crack the world seemed to float for Tohru. He watched as Chizuru whipped around, red eyes wild and wide before narrowing on him. He watched as more tears streamed down Megumi's face as she closed her eyes and passed out. Idly, he noticed that he had put his leg through Megumi's study table down to his knee and he was falling to the floor. All of this happened in the span of a split second before his face collided with the hardwood floor with a mighty crash.

Pain rocketed through his body as his legged burned with the immense sensation. The world blurred in and out of focus as something supported his head.

Something unbelievably cold pressed against his neck before a voice came from the darkness, "Give me those, Child. You won't need them anymore."

He felt the fingers clenched around his hammer part against his will before it was whisked from his grasp along with the stake in his belt, soon followed after a brief hesitation by his crude crucifix. Soon after his meager defence of a pair of sticks bound by zip ties and he were seperated something cold gripped him on either side of his face before forcing him to look up.

"Such a waste of a cute face," the demon before him mused.

The last thing Tohru saw were two blood stained lips perked into a small smile before his head was whipped to the side… _crack_

…

…

…

Before he opened his eyes once more.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **Poor Tohru, died looking like a perv sneaking into a girl's room before tragically breaking his neck during a fall. Poor boy not only dies but so does his village reputation. You can never know can you?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello Everyone,**

 **Sorry it has been so long, I hope you enjoy this chapter of Rewinding Heart. This one is a bit longer than normal and I hope that following chapters will be about as long.**

 **Massive thank you to those who have favourited the story and reviewed, you guys are why I came back when one day I checked my emails and saw some fresh reviews. Thank you all.**

 **11th of August, 1994**

The bright green display blipped steadily in a constant repeating cycle of rising and falling, rising and falling, rising and falling as white tiled walls filled Tohru's vision. The old man clinging to his arm was hardly surprising this time as he slowly, gently removed Shinmei's gnarled hands from his forearm.

"I'm so sorry, Child"

He... He had died, again.

He was revived, again…

He felt he should have been more surprised or relaxed that he thwarted death again, yet he couldn't help but feel disappointed in himself. He'd squandered his second chance. He thought he'd planned it all out and yet he was so easily destroyed by the witch, he was barely a fly to her and she swatted him down as such.

 _I'll need to be more careful…_

"I'm so sorry, Child."

Taking a deep breath, holding it and letting it go, Tohru forced himself to raise his spirits. Although he failed spectacularly and swiftly, he did learn one monumental piece of information. He could revive more than once, he learned that he had an infinite number of ways to save the village. He was guaranteed to claim victory.

 _But how many times can I suffer death?_

With a wince he rubbed his necked absently.

"I'm so sorry, Child."

Turning to find his father animatedly chatting with the Head Monk's wife, a regal beauty despite her distinguished age. In her prime he truly believed that she would've shone brightly as Ritsuko does now, albeit with a more ladylike allure than his beloved's girl next door appeal.

With a shake of his head he quietly cleared his throat in an attempt to catch her attention.

A small, curious smile graced her lips before it turned to a concerned frown as she noticed her husband clinging to Tohru's arm. Taking the Head Monk's hand and placing her own in place of his own she gave a small nod to the blonde. "Thank you, Young Man".

"It's no problem, Priestess," he replied as he backed away, scratching his head.

"Come on, Son. Let's leave the Muroi's to their business, we can come back later," said Takeshi with a pat on his son's shoulder.

Tohru followed his father at a sedate pace with one thought on his mind.

 _I died because of a table?_

 **12th of August, 1994**

Day gave way to night, which gave way to day and night again. Once more Tohru had perched himself in his hiding place outside of Megumi's room, once more he lay in wait for the demon that had not only killed Megumi but him as well now.

Shivering in the bush Tohru waited, always watching the treeline for those red eyes that heralded death. Always trying to perceive the shapes of hellhounds that would stalk the woods during the days and nights.

He was lucky enough to avoid the area where he encountered those monsters the previous night, keeping by the Bottle-O's son so that he may learn where Megumi lay in the dirt. And learn he did, archiving the memory into his mind so that he could be the one to find her. With this information, if he were to fail tonight he could perhaps catch her during the day before night fell. He could stop the fated encounter with Chizuru before it had even grazed the demons mind to hunt the red eyed girl.

A flash of movement tore him from his planning as the flashy demon approached the Shimizu household just like last time. Upon knocking on the window, she slid in just as reliably as clockwork.

With one final resolving breath, he left his safe haven to stand by the window where the witch would emerge when she was done. His mistake last time was attempting to sneak in with her, this time he would wait for her to be vulnerable in the window before making his move.

The wind howled through the forest.

 _Come on…_

The moonlight bounced off the late night dew on the grass, glistening like a sea of diamonds.

 _Finish with her already!_

After several of the most agonisingly long minutes of his life, the sound of footsteps approaching caught his attention and had his hands clenching the handle of his father's hammer so tightly that his knuckles turned white. With surprising speed Chizuru began to slither out of the window without a sound much like a snake through sand. With a gasp the boy struck out at her with his pitiful weapon, grazing the side of her head causing her to topple loudly on the ground.

As the creature fell it sent an ice cold elbow rocketing into his face, knocking him from his feet. His foe staggered to her feet before flourishing her hair behind her, looking down her nose balefully at him.

"Filthy hunters are everywhere we go" she hissed as she reached for his collar. "Tell me, do you have any friends little hunter?"

Upon being pulled, his collar revealed the crucifix about his neck to the succubus upon him. Dark eyes widened in horror as she let out an ear piercing shriek before she threw him across the yard where the Shimizu's lovely picket fence broke his fall.

 _Ow, my spine…._

With a wince, the young hunter looked up in time to half roll out of the way of a stiletto piercing through his skull before lunging for a broken plank to thrust at the shiki before him. A contemptuous swipe of her hand diverted his stake past her body before she leant down and ripped the cross from his neck with a brief snap.

 _Oh shit!_

With a flail of limbs in the demons direction and a clumsy kick to her chin, Tohru managed to roll backwards over the remainder of the fence and clambered to his feet. His back has already developed some serious bruising from his brief lesson on the inability of human flight and now his neck was red and raw from a chain being forcefully yanked off.

The beast in human form wore an inquisitive smirk as she cracked her neck from side to side, "Tell me, Boy. How did you know I was here?" She asked in a husky whisper.

Sweat ran down Tohru's brow as his back bumped into a tree, cutting off the option escaping quickly into the forest. The shiki in front of him slowly began to saunter towards him, hips swaying, her wet tongue dashing across her lips.

"Come, Boy. If you give up now I promise I'll make it painless" she said before pausing mere inches from her victim, eyes narrowing as she inspected him. "Who knows? You may even like it."

He had heard the term being paralysed by fear before, but it had never sounded realistic until now as the demon's lips parted and drew closer to his throat. His hands dug into the bark of the great fir behind him as her cold lips pressed against his neck, the freezing touch of death causing his entire body to tighten like a spring.

"Hoooo, did you like that, Boy?" she teased as her lips trailed up his neck to his jaw, onwards until she was looking him in the eye. Still his eyes were glued to her red lips which strangely were not coated in his blood. "Tell me, Boy. If you were to die tonight, would you have any regrets?"

 _She's playing with me. She's playing with her food…_

Not only was she going to kill him but she was going to mock him as well? The thought had his paralysed body loosen minutely, enough so that this demon had noticed. With a victorious grin she slowly wrapped her slender arms about his neck, tilted her head as her lips neared his own. With a sigh he let his hands release the tree and settle on her hips.

"That's a good boy, give in…"

With a small grin Tohru pulled back slightly with a raised eyebrow, "Who said anything about giving up?"

With a startled squak the hands on her hips wrapped around her back, hoisting her stomach up to his face, her legs kicking wildly as she yanked at his hair.

"Wh-what the hell are you doing, you fool!"

"I'm going to pound you" he declared to the wind, the trees and the moon as the woman's frantic resistance died.

"You're going to wh-"

The demon never finished her sentence as the back of her head buried itself into the Shimizu's backyard with a wet crunch.

Above her unconscious body stood the heaving form a man, gasping for breath as he stared down at _his_ victim. All that was left to do was stake her and this would all be over.

Tohru's hair whipped back forth as he frantically searched for his hammer in the yard, desperately clawing through bushes so that he could finish the job.

With this victory he can save Megumi from an early death, saving dozens with this one brutal act. His limbs felt heavier as they were drained of adrenaline and he began to calm down. The night once more began to feel darker and the cold bit into his skin.

A glint!

There underneath the broken fence lay his trusty hammer, reflecting moonlight from the metal head. Grasping it tightly in his hand he continued to pick up a slat from the ruined picket fence.

 _A small price for their daughter's life._

With a shake of his head he turned to finish the beast off to stare down at the ground in wonderment.

 _I left her right there…_

With a quick roll into the centre of the yard he scanned the dark treeline for any glimpse of the succubus' glowing red eyes. Only the gnarled flesh of trees bathed in a veil of darkness met his gaze, the only sounds accompanying his ragged breath were the whispering of the trees that surrounded him.

He was all alone…

And she was still out there, somewhere.

 **13th of August, 1994**

The blackboard was taunting him, he just knew it with the way it kept scrambling the letters that were drawn on it. Endlessly the letters swam across his vision as his eyelids pleaded with him to close and let darkness engulf him.

"Tohru, hey buddy are you okay?" The blackboard asked him with concern in its oddly human voice.

With a slow blink and a wave he replied, "Completely fine, how are you?"

All of a sudden the world began to shake as his eyes snapped open to find Natsuno kicking his chair repeatedly.

"You mind, buddy?"

With a raised eyebrow his surly friend simply pointed at the blonde's books scattered off the end of the table, "Seeing as you just greeted a blackboard, slapped your table in what I can only assume was a demented wave and then passed out I would have to say that you are in fact, out of your mind."

Well, excuse him for not getting any sleep last night after he let a homicidal vampiress escape last night after he finally had the chance to slay her. He'd been up all night filing a chair into a quadri-stake to fling at the door at the slightest sign of movement.

Slapping on a sheepish smile and scratching the back of his head he did the only thing he could.

"Yeah, I was up all night playing games. Before I knew what time it was, the sun was up and I was left wondering where the night went" he lied. In truth it had been the longest night of his life.

With a sigh and a remark at how stupid he was, his friend went back to his studies. The longer he could maintain Natsuno's ignorance the better. He had resolved himself to save his friend even at the cost of his life but that didn't mean he was blind to his faults. Natsuno was indirectly responsible for Ritsuko's death. If he hadn't planted the idea into Ozaki's head that the undead were slowly corrupting the village he might've been able to live forever with Ristuko.

 _No… Not at that cost._

Still, if he can stop both Ozaki from raising Sotoba and the Kirishikis from turning the population he can finally sit back and call it a job done. Now if he could stop himself from being murdered in his sleep by Shizuka, that would be fantastic…

Death may have no meaning anymore but if he can gleam knowledge of how the shiki will react to a failed assassination. In this war of immortality, his victory depends on him learning and remembering as many things about their capabilities and reactions as possible.

 _Still, if they send Tatsumi after me…._

 _I don't want to die like that…_

Shizuka saw him, inspected him and committed him to memory. If she sees him then he will be as good as dead and she has no doubt told Sunako about him. By now every shiki in the area will know what he looks like, including Tatsumi and Yoshie who can hunt him down during the day.

 _They are surely combing the area right now. I need to change my look, and fast._

Turning to Natsuno, "Hey buddy, wanna skip gym and hit up the hairdressers?"

"What the hell were you thinking, Tohru?"

Clearly, his father was not pleased with his new style.

"Do you have any idea what you look like, Son?" Takeshi continued as his wife sat beside him looking horrified.

"Um... " He hadn't thought how his new look might be received at home, to be fair he had bigger issues.

"I mean really, Son. You look like one of those school shooters the news is always going on about!"

 _Okay, harsh Dad._

"Black hair, with red highlights and a nose piercing? What are you trying to do, please tell me!" He finished having used up all his energy, collapsing into a chair next to Tohru's mother.

Right. How did he explain this to them without making them worry and without making him change his look back.

"Well, I read about this thing called peacocking... "

 _No reaction so far, that's good._

"And I figured that if I was eye catching enough, I might be able to secure Nurse Ritsuko's interest." He said with a wince. Dad had always told him that if you are going to lie you may as well do it well and that all lies have an element of truth.

 _I wonder if Ritsuko will like the look. Those two have been quiet for a while._

Glancing at his family he noticed that his mother had somehow gone even more still with his father looking down to her with concern and his siblings in the kitchen on the floor laughing.

 _Eavesdropping brats…_

"Oh Son, you poor fool" said Takeshi as his head fell into his hands.

 _What?_

For the first time since he got home a spark of life seemed to enter his mother as she looked up to him with a watery smile on her face, "G-grandbabies?"

 _Fuck…_

As the sun lazily crossed the sky toward the mountains to the west, Tohru prepared himself for another night of silent vigil of Megumi's window. A small hammer would definitely not suffice against an alert and pissed of Shizuka, he would need something bigger. He knew personally that normally the gaudy vampiress would flit from one whim to another in pursuit of alleviating her boredom, it was how he managed to survive the previous night through manipulating her vanity.

 _That'll only work once…_

Whilst she definitely did not love him, she had definitely been scorned. Only one man had ever gotten away with scorning her and that was because he got to her first, all the others the reverse was reality. Before Atsushi became her plaything there must have been at least three men she took an interest in.

None of them survived long enough to see the purge.

The first one who rejected her pursuits had a wife. Shuuji Gotouda found he and his wife's hearts in each others chest, their bodies dumped in the hell hounds kennel.

The second had apparently batted for the wrong team and was found in as a twisted effigy deep in the forest. His legs and arms torn from his body and pierced through his torso at unholy angles. When Yoshie found him, she at least had the decency to stake him and put him out of his misery.

The third was an unusual case. He was an arrogant man from the city who had risen up and instantly took a liking to Shizuka's free spirit and generous proportions. If Tatsumi ever had a brother, this man would've been him. He was cruel and enjoyed the terror of his victims. He could keep ahead of Shizuka's whimsy and kept her entertained. But one day he made a mistake. He got it in his head that he should mess with the one human in Sotoba that no shiki should ever dare to interfere with. He mocked and humiliated Seishrou in front of Shizuka.

Now, Tohru never truly understood their relationship. Were they partners? Was he her pet that she would dangle immortality in front of? Were they simply close friends?

When he witnessed Shizuka impale that horrible man with a curtain rod, Tohru came a little closer to understanding those two. Their bond simply could not be described. Seishirou who would abandon his humanity for the one he loved, even when she would flit from lover to lover before his very eyes. Shizuka, who could never be bound to one man, yet would forever protect Seishirou's honour. They were certainly a match paired in hell together.

And now it was his turn to face judgement for scorning her. He had wondered what she would do to him. Perhaps taking the very same hammer he took to her head unto his fingers? His screams as she broke each digit into dust before finishing him off would certainly please her.

Maybe she would force him to light his family home on fire and watch as his siblings flesh melted from their bones? Shizuka did seem to like killing her ex-lovers with a grand sense of irony.

He doubted his disguise would last for long against her hunting party. At a glance he definitely appeared different, however it did nothing to hide his facial features or his scent which the jinrou have no doubt memorised by now. If he was going to survive any longer he would need to finish Shizuka tonight, leaving the shiki with only a smell to find. That could at least be masked with a healthy dose of cologne.

But that still brought him to the problem he was currently faced with, staring at his small claw hammer in his bedroom. He would definitely need something more substantial to take on an alert vampiress if he was to have any hope of surviving the night.

 _But what could I use? It's not like a gun will fall in my lap, and even if it did I would know how to use it…_

So he'd need something to hit her with, something with a long handle preferably.

A shovel? No, she'd likely block his strike with her arm before he could crush her head.

A sledge hammer? Maybe, but where would he find one in Sotoba this late in the day?

How about a logging axe? They were plentiful enough as lumber is Sotoba's chief export. He could probably pinch one from the logging yard just downhill from the temple.

 _Better get to work._

Making up his mind his steps weighed heavily upon him as he left the protection of his home once more.

As green gave way to blue hues and light gave way to dark, Tohru made his way to the lumber yard passing by the villagers who were returning home from their daily toil. He envied them their ignorance for it was certainly bliss. He should be at home playing video games with Natsuno and thinking up ways to ask Ritskuo out, not planning to commit theft and murder whilst being stalked by demons that could tear his heart out with one hand.

Any hope of not drawing attention to himself was thrown out the window with his disguise, "oh my, is that the eldest Mutou boy? What on earth as he done to himself?" gossiped one of the old ladies on their bench as he passed by.

Thrusting his hands deeper into is pockets and hanging his head, Tohru tried to do his best Natsuno impersonation as he hurried to the lumber yard.

"He was such a good boy…"

Gravel noisily gave way as he stepped from the road and onto the path to the forest's edge. At this time the shiki should only just be rousing from their slumber, that should give him at least a little time to find a hiding place at the Shimizu house.

Ahead of him lay the lumber yard, chain link fence surrounding the perimeter but with the low crime rate of village life came an absence of razor wire or padlocks. Hell, he could see a splitting axe buried in a stump in the middle of the yard, not ten metres past the gate.

With a quick glance to see if anyone was looking he opened the gate and slid into the compound and gave the axe handle a mighty pull.

It didn't budge…

Gripping the shaft with both hands and securing his foot on the stump, Tohru gave the reluctant tool a rough tug before placing his second foot on the stump and leaning back with all his weight. When ass met ground he quickly climbed to his feet, his bounty in hand.

"Well done, Boy" whispered a feminine voice in his ear as something cold pressed against his neck. "I wonder what you needed this for? Give it to me" the voice continued as he felt his fingers release the wooden handle and let the axe fall to the ground.

 _No!_

With a slow gait Shizuka seemed to dance around him, wrapping her arms around his neck,"I feel you should know, your little girlfriend is dead."

 _I failed again._

"She whimpered your name each night, Boy. She whimpered it with such longing, every night, Na-tsu-no" she sing-songed, playing with his black and red curls.

"Don't worry, boy," her eyes narrowed dangerously, "You'll see her again soon enough."

With a final bite Tohru's world faded to black.

 **? of August, 1994**

 _I feel so weak…_

He was somewhere dark…

His nose itched from the murky smell permeating the air….

He couldn't lift his arms and each breath was like lifting a lead weight with his chest….

 _So I'm dying… Again…_

"Go on, Girl. He tastes so good, trust me" a voice of purest silk echoed in the darkness.

Numbly, he could hear the faint sound of crying from nearby, uncontrollable broken sobs.

"I- I don't want to…." rasped a gravelly yet feminine voice in between sobs.

"Nonsense, you told me yourself how this boy always monopolised your precious Natsuno's time" the smooth voice purred from the abyss. "You could finally get his attention if this boy were out of the way."

The sobbing slowed to a halt over time, after what felt like hours a girl spoke hesitantly a single word.

"R-Really?"

"Yes, you could take whatever you wanted from whoever you wanted. You could finally go to the big city, with Natsuno" the voice continued. "I'll leave and give you some privacy, I'll let you out when I come back."

The younger voice didn't say anything as footsteps echoed away into the void.

"It's your fault I'm here, Tohru" the girl's voice, Megumi's voice whispered in his ear.

"N…. No…." It was so hard to speak. "I tried….. To….. Save… You…."

"Why? Why would you do that?" she asked quietly, tears falling onto his face.

 _So cold… Is this how Natsuno felt?_

"T-to save… Natsuno." Every word was hard fought, it was as if the world was trying to pull him into the ground and consume him.

"Natsuno?" Her breath hitched, "How would saving me help him?"

He was doomed and he would be forced to start again once more, but what happened when he looped? Did the world reverse? Was a new copy created and the old one still existed? There was no way to know, but it couldn't hurt to try doing as much good as possible.

"Do you… Love… Him?" He gasped, consciousness slowly ebbing from his mind.

 _Won't be long now…._

"I do" Megumi's voice softly replied.

 _Please listen…_

"Then… Avoid him… At all costs…" he began, "You… Can't watch… Him…."

His breaths were getting thinner and thinner, the impenetrable darkness feeling more inviting with each passing second.

 _Just a little more…_

"He would… Never accept… The new life… After death…"

Inhale…

Exhale…

"He… Would kill… Everyone…"

"The… Kirishiki's…"

"Himself…."

"And you…" He finished as his final words were nothing more than a whisper.

"I- I'll protect him… I promise, he'll make it to the city" she swore, missing the point.

 _Close enough. He may still notice, but he has a chance now..._

Inhale…

 _It's so cold…_

Exhale…

"Tohru?"

Inhale…

"No… Please don't leave me alone."

 _Heh, sorry Megumi…_

Exhale….

 **I hope you all enjoyed that. Leave a review if you'd like and I hope you continue reading the story.**

 **Have a great day everyone.**


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